Fetch? Treat under Cup

I got another book on training cats.  Nothing is new in there, but is much more succinct.  I am especially interested in trying to capture Jazz carrying a toy around, so I can eventually get her to fetch.  I'd love to have that be a possible way to exercise her, especially if I can get her jumping up and down on furniture when running to fetch something.  I don't think that cats are good at seeking something they can't see, so I will need to allow for that when throwing the toy.

Yesterday, I also started putting one of her treats into a paper cup.  She had to reach in and pull the treat out.  But the cup was very light, so much of the time she pushed it over and the treat came out while the cup rolled.  And I made it even more difficult after she started to get that the treat in the cup was hers if she could get it, by turning the cup over and putting the treat under it.  She had a hard time with that and never did knock the cup over. Instead she'd pull the cup toward her, press it against her back leg while sitting, and pop the edge of the cup up over the treat to get to it.  Impressive! 

Slim by Design Work Discussion

I talked to a person from HR yesterday about the Slim By Design book, and what it could mean here at our building to help make people less likely to consume too many calories. 

He was receptive to it, but is still not in a position to make changes himself.  After talking with him, the immediate outcomes was that he would bring it to his manager sometime soon.  Likely very soon, I'd guess, because he is an overweight gentleman and loves the idea of redesigning our workspace to help him keep weight off. 

He also suggested that I meet with our building's safety coordinator.  I guess she is someone who would be good to talk to about changing the layout of the building, but I don't know how much overlap her role has with employee health.  She's also thin, so may not be as amenable to this, and already has a full workload, I'm sure, with the other safety things she has going on.  

Weight, Slim by Design, Power of Habit

First, I put the scale that I use away.  I moved it from the bathroom floor to under the bathroom sink.  I think that's healthier for me, to slow my focus on my weight.

I also brought my balancing apes to work, and put them up on the snack counter.  When I look over there several times a day, I see the balancing apes rather than the bagels behind them.  I can also use them as a distraction when walking past.  I also like that others in the office can change them up, and sometimes I get surprised by new configurations of the apes.

I'm considering advocating for smaller plates at home. We're talking about replacing our current dishes with Correll ware, which is much lighter.  I glanced at one of their most popular styles and found them to be 10.25" for the dinner plates.  We have 11" plates at home, so that's an improvement.  I'd like to find Correll dinner plates which are under 10", if possible.

I had a small bowl of cereal for breakfast yesterday because I woke up at the normal time hungry, and I normally don't eat until lunch time.  I think this caused yesterday to be a much more balanced eating day for me than in the past.  3 smaller meals, spread over the course of the day, rather than 2 big meals and a couple small snacks.

I'm going to return the Power of Habit and the Slim by Design to the library.  They both have simple rules.  With habits, you need to follow a 4-step process to change habits, which I talked about in a previous post.  With Slim by Design, you have to use the "CAN" system.  Make that which you want Convenient, Attractive and Normal.  And the opposite for anything you don't want.  Good things easier, bad things more difficult.  Never say no.  That way leads to workarounds. 

11/15

Yesterday, I came up with two variations that I'm now trying to each.  One is to use one of Jazz's balls as the target, instead of my hand.  She's very interested in touching it with her face, and shows more excitement about following it than before.

I would like to figure out how to get her to play fetch with one of those balls.  Right now, I haven't done any reading to help me do so.

I'm also working to get her to stop sitting without a cue during our training sessions, and to touch her face to my fist without a reward every time.  I think that the latter will just take time.  The former is more difficult, because she often sits just for fun. 

If/Then Planning

Gollwitzer's If/Then Tactics (or "Implementation Intentions") - a short statement that starts with a trigger that often leads you to fail, and then the plan for what you will do if that situation arises.  

"fully understand how you often fail and create a plan for what you’ll do when a specific scenario comes up."

 Important Points:

• 
  
• The more difficult the long-term goal, the better it works.   
• The more issues the subject has with self control, the better it works. 
• Envision yourself taking the desired action.

Examples:

• If I go to the mall, then I will avoid the shoe store.
• If I end up in the shoe store, then I will not buy anything.
• If I go to Amazon, then I will only buy things I need.

Steps for Creating If/Then Statements:

1.  One habit at a time.
2. Set a target goal.
3. Create mini-goals.
4. Set a Baseline
5. Spitball ideas.
6. Track your bad habit.
7. Develop a Replacement Habit
8.  Set a firm start date.
9. Use failures to refine the if-then plan.

After reading this 9-step process, this seems like something I would use when working on changing habits, which I wrote about yesterday.  

11/5 - Session catchup

Many Sessions

Lay down in front of me - getting to be that this can be a problem.  I want her to do this last.  I need to put this on cue, so she doesn't get to the point of coming over and flopping onto her side.

Let me handle her paws - this is going well.  I can touch her paws now - all 4.  And she lets me hold her front 2.  But she sometimes pulls back when I grab her back paws (meaning I'm going too fast).

Come when called - definitely working out well, especially when I pay attention to the intonation I'm using to call her.  

*NEW* I'm trying to get her to jump through my arms.  I can often get her to walk over my arm when it is flat on the ground, and even step over it when it is hovering several inches off the ground, but I haven't been able to move to her jumping through.  I know she can do it - she has the athletic skills - but most of the time she doesn't want to spend the energy.  I need something more enticing a reward.


New issue - she's coming to the door and meowing very early in the morning.  Today it was 5:45AM.  this is ok, I guess, because I want to wake up early to start exercising more, but I also want to be able to get my sleep.  I'm not sure if this started when I started sleeping upstairs, when I started going to bed earlier, or if it was going on before.  But before, it certainly wasn't waking Turtle, because we were in the basement. 

Power of Habit - Prescription for Changing Habit

Power of Habit

The habit loop is very simple.  It is Cue > Routine > Reward (circular). 

The cue is what tells your mind it is time to activate the habit. 

The routine is the automatic response that you're doing when the habit is triggered. 

The rewards is the benefit you get from executing the habit. 

The way to change the habit is to keep the same cue and reward, but change the routine. 

To change the habit, you need to follow these steps:

1. Identify the Routine

• Likely the most obvious step.
• "Behavior you want to change."

2. Experiment with Rewards.

•  When feel the urge to do the behavior, try something else.  
• No pressure to make a change or adjustment - Collect data.
• Test different hypothesis that may also satisfy a craving.  
• Each time you attempt an alternate routine, do the following:
• Write down 3 things that are going on now.  
• Set a 15 minute timer.  
• Reflect after timer is over whether you still have the craving to do your routine. 

3. Isolate the Cue.

• Almost all habitual cues fall into one of five categories: Location, Time, Emotional State, Other People, Immediately Preceding Action.  
•  Answer these questions each time the urge hits:
• Where are you?
• What time is it?
• What's your emotional State?
• Who else is around?
• What action preceded the urge?

4. Have a Plan.

• Write it down.  
• Use a format that includes the cue and what you will plan to do.  
• Keep at it and it will change.  
• If you fall off the wagon, that's OK, as long as you keep trying.